Combination label and threading guide



June 23, 1959 P. F. DOVER COMBINATION LABEL AND THREADING GUIDE Filed Dec. 6.41956 filnllllllllrllll.Illllllllili United e States Patent O COMBINATION LABEL AND THREADING GUIDE Pierre F. Dover, North Haven, Conn., assgnor to Eastern Products Corporation, a corporation of Maryland Application December 6, 1956, Serial No. 626,757

1 Claim. (Cl. 223-105) The present invention relates to a combination label and threading guide for a curtain rod. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flexible tubular member that telescopically engages a curtain rod and is adapted to have matter printed thereon, thereby defining a label, an end of the tubular member being tucked interiorly Within an end of the curtain rod thereby shielding the curtain rod end when the curtain rod is theraded within the hem of the curtain. v

In the normal construction of curtain rods, the ends thereof are generally fonned with a roughened edge. When the curtain rod is threaded within a curtain hem, the roughened edge of the rod quite frequently snags the delicate curtain fabric and unless great care is taken in the guiding of the curtain over the roughened edge, the curtain will be damaged.

Prior to the instant invention, curtain rod threading devices have been devised for the purpose of avoiding the damaging of the curtain during the threading of a curtain rod therein, and generally these heretofore known threading guides have been constructed of a metal material or the like and were adapted to engage the curtain rod, thereby acting to shield the roughened edge during the threading operation. The prior known threading devices included various forms of construction, but all were ,similar in that they Were formed as a separate element and were sold independently of the curtain rod. Moreover, since the prior threading devices were usually constructed of a metal material or the like, they were of a permanent nature, thereby increasing the cost thereof.

Many of the prior threading devices were relatively simple in detail, defining in some instances a hood or thimble type of construction, but all of these prior threaders were made for permanent usage.

Generally, when a new curtain rod is purchased, the user has to hunt for a threader, but in most instances, because of their small size, the prior threaders were usually lost or misplaced.

The present invention is adapted to avoid the necessity of hunting for a threading device when a curtain is to be threaded on a new rod and incorporates a simple but effective threading guide that is adapted to telescopically engage the curtain rod and not only defines a threading guide therefor, but is provided with printed matter, thereby forming atlabel for the rod.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a curtain rod threading guide that is preassembled with the curtain rod prior to the sale thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a curtain rod threading guide that also defines a label for the curtain rod.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a curtain rod guide that is formed of a paper material or the like and is deformable to define a shield for the end of the curtain rod.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a tubular curtain rod threading guide that 4is formed ICC of a flexible material and the end of which is adapted to be folded interionly of the rod end, thereby forming a shield for the rod end when a curtain is threaded thereover.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a curtain rod threader that is disposable after use if it is so desired.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the instant invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a curtain rod showing the combination label and threading device located in telescoping engagement thereon;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the combination label and threading device showing the tubular construction thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the curtain rod receiving a curtain thereon, a portion of the curtain hem being broken away to show the threading device folded over the end of the curtain rod;

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the threading device as seen in Fig. 3 and after the end thereof has been folded over the end of the curtain rod; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 5 5 in Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly Fig. 1,- a curtain rod 10 of conventional construction is shown therein and mounted on the curtain rod 10 in telescoping engagement therewith is a combination label and threading device, generally indicated at 12. The curtain rod 10 as shown is formed in a generally flat C-shaped channel construction and is provided with inturned end portions that are mounted on suitable brackets secured to a wall or window.

It is the general practice in identifying articles for sale, such as curtain rods, to imprint advertising literature or instructions on a label that may be tied to the rod or slipped thereover in some fashion. The label and threading device 12 is tubular in construction and is slipped over the rod 10 in telescoping engagement therewith. Any suitable identifying printed matter may be imprinted on the label and threader 12, such as the name of the manufacturer of the rod, price of the rod, rod specifications, and instructions for using the device as a threading guide.

Threading guides for guarding the roughened end of curtain rods against snagging the delicate curtain fabric have been known for some time, but heretofore these threading guides were permanent in construction, being formed of metal and were purchased independently of the curtain rod. The threading guide 12 i-s assembled with the rod 10 prior to sale and is conveniently mounted on the rod for instantaneous use by the purchaser. It is understood that the threading guide 12 may be removed from the rod 10 after the threading operation and stored for reuse at a later date, or if desired, it may be destroyed.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the combination label and threading device 12 is shown in the position of use as a threading guide and it is seen that the tubular guide 12 has been shifted from the center of the rod 10 to the extreme edge of one of the inturned ends thereof. As shown in Fig. 3, the threading device 12 has been folded over the edge of the curtain rod end and in this position is adapted to be inserted in the fold of a curtain 14, the curtain fold being dened by an opening 16 formed by the stitching of the hem 18, which is joined to the body of the curtain 14.

Referring again to Fig. 2, the curtain threader 12 is shown comprising a tubular body portion 20 formed of a flexible material such as paper that is easily slipped over aeemoe the curtain rod 1G and which may be disposed of after the initial use thereof, if it is so desired. Formed as an integral part of the body portion 20 is an end portion generally indicated at 22. The end portion 22 includes a tuck portion 24 that is dened by a modified triangular section formed between the lines scribed on the outer surface of end portion 22, as seen in Fig. 2. In folding the end portion 22 into the threading position as shown in Fig. 3, the tuck portion 24, which is labelled tuck over rod end is pushed by the thumb or finger within body portion 2t) and into the hollow end of the C-snaped rod 10. As the tuck portion 24 collapses, the side portions thereof are rolled to define the sides 26 and 28 of a truncated triangular wedge. A rear side wall portion 30 is formed by the rolled sides 26 and 23 and detines the stiffening portion of the wedge. As shown in Fig. 5, the end portion 22 of the threader 12 completely shields the end of the rod and the delicate fabric of the curtain 14 is prevented from snagging on the roughened edge of the rod end during the threading operation. The rod 10 is thus easily pushed through the opening 16 formed by the hem 18 of the curtain 14, since the wedge-shaped end portion 22, as folded, provides for a simple threading action. After the curtain rod 10 has been threaded into the curtain fold, the threader 12 is conveniently removed by slipping it off the rod end. The threader may then be used again on another curtain rod or it may be stored for reuse at a later date, or it may be destroyed if it is so desired.

It is seen that the combination label and threading device 12 is simple in use and serves a dual purpose, acting rst as a label, wherein the manufacturer of the rod is identified, the curtain rod specifications are set forth, and any necessary instructive matter is included.

l The label is then converted into a threading device by simply sliding it from the intermediate position on the rod to the end thereof, at which point the end portion of the label and threading device is `folded over the roughened edge of the rod to act as a shield therefor during the threading of a curtain on the rod.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended olaim.

What is claimed is:

Vln curtain threading apparatus, a curtain rod of generally C-shape in cross section, a flexible tubular member mounted on said curtain rod and adapted to closely embrace said curtain rod in telescoping relation therewith, whereby the `shape of said tubular member is generally elliptical in cross section, said tubular member being easily deformable and self-sustaining in the `deformed condition and including means adjacent one end thereof dening a tuck portion, said tuck portion being Ifoldable over the adjacent end of said curtain rod to form a shield for protecting the delicate fabric of a curtain when said curtain rod is threaded therein.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,242,172 Gibson Oct. 9, 1917 1,953,463 Brewer et al. Apr. 3, 1934 2,095,618 Schwartzman Oct. 12, 1937 2,170,674 Auslander Aug. 22, 1939 2,739,745 Tufts Mar. 27, 1956 

